On Tuesday, March 17 , we will show our film, "Miles to Go," at the UNL Student Union in the Cultural Center. If you haven't had a chance to see it, please come join us. We will begin a short reception with refreshments at 5:30pm . Then, following the film, we will have a question and answer panel. There is no charge! The Women's Foundation is a co-sponsor.

SAVE the DATE! On September 3 ,the Women's Foundation will host a Leadership Luncheon at the Cornhusker Hotel celebrating those in our community who contribute to the improvement of women's lives through education, advocacy and outreach. We will award the Alice Paul, Erasmus Correll and Sojourner Truth awards. Please put the date on your calendar and plan to attend.

WOMEN at WORK Conference will be held on Saturday, October 4. For more information on the conference please visit our events page. You can also register for this conference HERE.

Anyone who was at the screening and did not receive a copy of the DVD should contact us at lincolnwomen@gmail.com to let us know how to get a hold of you so we can get you a copy. Thank you!

Miles to Go: Women Activists Reflect on the Road Traveled

In the summer of 2013, The Women’s Foundation of Lincoln/Lancaster County began a video/audio project using oral histories to highlight individuals who were active in fighting for gender equality in Lincoln during the 1970s and early 1980s. The interviews were done with women who made important progress towards equality for Nebraska, each centering on salient issues, such as education, economic independence, legal standing, intimate partner violence, childcare and reproductive health. These twelve include women who were active in the Lincoln-Lancaster County Commission on the Status of Women and the Nebraska Coalition for Women. The footage has been edited to log interviews and select clips for 2-minute audio montages which are being aired daily on the radio station KZUM (89.3) during Women’s History Month in March.

The Foundation’s goal for this project is to preserve the voices of women who fought for significant gains and to showcase activism: our purposes are to educate young people about local history that has a direct bearing on the rights they currently enjoy and to inspire them to continue fighting against injustice. Interviewees and areas of expertise include Ada Munson and Virginia Walsh, Nebraska Coalition for Women; Chris Funk, first Executive Director of the Lincoln-Lancaster Commission on the Status of Women; Lynn Roper, advocate for Title IX implementation; Ina May Rouse, the Displaced Homemaker Act; Marcee Metzger, former Women's Center director and Executive Director of Voices of Hope; Rosemary Machacek of New Directions Center; Helen Moore, second director of the Women’s Studies program at University of Nebraska Lincoln; Beatty Brasch, Executive Director of the Center for People in Need and long-time friend of Lincoln's first woman Mayor, Helen Boosalis; Natalie Olson, former officer of the Lincoln-Lancaster Women's Commission; Linda Pratt, former Executive Vice President and Provost of the University of Nebraska; and Mary Jo Ryan, advocate for early child care legislation and licensing of care centers.

We have produced an hour-long documentary comprised of interviews, archival materials, and other narration or historical information. The premiere of this film will be September 30, 2014 at the Ross Film Theater. There will be a reception before in the Van Brundt Visitors' Center starting at 6:00pm . The film will follow.

If you are interested in viewing the full length videos of the interviews done during Women's History Month in March you may find them here.

Mission: The Women's Foundation of Lincoln & Lancaster County is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides resources for educational programs, advocacy, and services that promote equality and social justice for women.

Projects - Past and Present: Some of the projects that the Women's Foundation has sponsored are: The Women and Money Conference provides valuable financial education for women to help them in areas like budgeting, savings, investing and planning for retirement.

Real Women Run is an initiative to encourage and support women who are interested in political life and/or running for public office.

Lincoln Women's Voices: A History of Activism is an oral history project. Women who were activists during the 70's and 80's were interviewed about the changes that came about in the women's movement.

A "Women at Work" Conference will be held on Saturday, October 4 at the UNL City Campus Student Union. This conference will combine some of the Women and Money subjects, popular in previous conferences, with those that involve Women in the Workplace. Topics will include Equal Pay, Flexibility in the Workplace and Non-Traditional (STEM) Jobs for women and handling of personal finances and planning for the future. More information will be posted soon.

History: In 1977, the Friends of the Commission on Women was established to support the Lincoln-Lancaster Women's Commission and was one of the first "Friends" organizations in the country. While the Lincoln-Lancaster Women's Commission was defunded in 2007, Mayor Chris Beutler formed the Mayor's Commission on Women because there is a continuing need in our community for women's voices to be heard. The Lincoln Mayor's Commission on Women currently consists of 15 women and men who advise the Mayor and his office on the issues that pertain to women and families in Lincoln. The Women's Foundation, which was started in 2012, aims to aid the work of the Commission as well as the creation of other projects that serve women and their families in our community.